German luxury car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz is expected to come out with a new version of its B-Class hatchback at the Paris Motor Show. The new B 200 Natural Gas Drive will reportedly be cheaper to run than the petrol model.

According to the report published on carwale.com, "the B-Class will get the Mercedes ' "Energy Space" modular concept, where part of the floor beneath the backseat has a cavity for one large and two small tanks to hold up to 125-litre of CNG. Even with the CNG this hatchback is not a slouch; with 156bhp at tap it can reach 100kph in 9.1 seconds. The car has a range of 482kms on full tank â lowering fuel costs by at least 50 per cent, even when compared with the Blue Efficiency variants."

The B 200 Natural Gas Drive will reportedly differ from other B-Class models as its main characteristics include the distinctive front bumper with strip-form LED daytime driving lights

The B 200 CNG complies with Euro VI emission standards that will come into effect only in 2014, said the report, adding that the new car will be driven by either a manual transmission or by a 7G-DCT dual clutch.

This B-Class will reportedly be available in Europe in the first half of 2013.

Mercedes-Benz is expected to launch the B-Class in India at the end of this month or latest in October.

Attributing the trend of global slowdown and liquidity factors, Luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz, which registered a growth of 35 per cent last year, will have to be content with flat growth this year.

According to Manas Dewan, General Manager, strategic planning and corporate communications, Mercedes-Benz India, this would be the first time that the company is facing the prospects of a flat growth rate since its entry into the Indian market in 1996. The number of cars it is expecting to sell this year, said Dewan, will not differ from that of last year's.

It may be noted that Mercedes Benz competes with its two German peers, BMW and Audi, in the luxury segment in India.